Mount Kailash: A Walk on Sacred Ground

Although it is little known in the western world, Mount Kailash is one of the most sacred spots on earth, and is a holy pilgrimage site for people of the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Bon faiths.

Pilgrims and tourists alike perform a seriously challenging kora – a walk circling a sacred site – around the base of Mount Kailash. This is no walk in the park – the Kailash kora is a 32 mile (52 km) trek that starts at 15,000ft (4600m) and includes an 18,372ft (5600m) pass!

To travel to Mt. Kailash, you will need to commit significant time and resources for the journey to what Tibetans call Kang Rinpoche — roughly meaning Precious Jewel of Snows — usually two or more weeks for an overland trip out of Lhasa. And you may want to do it sooner than later, since the Chinese government is actively working on tourist development plans for the area that will very likely change the traditional experience forever. (See an article by Tibetan writer Woser: Please Stop the ‘Development’ of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar for Profit.)

Since no independent travel is allowed to Tibet and you must work with a travel agency, you want to be sure to choose a Tibetan-owned agency, which hires Tibetan guides only. The simplest way to do this is ask us to connect you to a reliable Tibetan-owned travel agent to plan a great trip for you that also supports the local Tibetan economy and culture. (Note to our Indian friends: Sorry, our agents cannot assist Indian nationals.)

The Kailash Area

Mount Kailash is remote, deep in Ngari, the Westernmost part of the Tibetan plateau. The nearest largish town is Ali, which is the Chinese-built administrative center for Ngari prefecture. But there are a number of nearby destinations of major interest which you can include on your trip: especially Lakes Manasarovar and Rakshastal and the Guge ruins, but also Tirthapuri Gompa, Purang (near Nepal border) and Panggong Tso (Bangong He).

Geographically, the Mount Kailash area is massively significant, with four major rivers of Asia having their sources in this area, as you see in the image below. It is a common misperception among Tibetans and Indians alike that Lake Manasarovar is the actual mother of these four rivers:

Yarlung Tsanpo – Brahmaputra River

Mapcha Tsangpo – Karnali/Ganges River

Langchen Tsangpo – Sutlej River

Senge Tsangpo – Indus River.

Actually, though, only the Langchen Tsangpo, the Sutlej River, flows from Lake Manasarovar, although all four rivers do begin in the close vicinity.

Mount Kailash and major Asian river sources on a map of the Tibetan plateau. From www.meltdownintibet.com.

Getting to Mount Kailash: the Major Routes

Darchen, the village at the southern foot of Mt. Kailash, is the starting point for a pilgrimage, and there are a number of ways to get there, but here are a few common routes:

Northern route from Lhasa: Alternatively, some Kailash tours will take you on a Northern route to the Kailash area from Lhasa, and on to the Nepal border, like this 22-day Kailash Circuit tour from a Lhasa travel agency:

Day 1-3: Lhasa sightseeing.

Day 4: to Shigatse visit.

Day 5-9: via north road to Ngari.

Day 10-13: visit to Tsaparang and Tholing.

Day 14: to Darchen.

Day 15-17: trekking circumambulation of Kailash.

Day 18: visit Lake Manasaravor.

Day 19-21: to Zhangmu via south Tsangpo road.

Day 22 cross border to Nepal

Once You are There: The Mount Kailash Pilgrimage

If you have a look at the excellent diagram from Mapping the Tibetan World below, you can start to trace the pilgrimage route. Find Darchen (15338ft / 4675m) down near the bottom and for the first day’s journey, you will work your way up via Chaktsal Gang to Drirapuk Gompa (17093ft / 5210m). (Disclosure: we get a small commission from Amazon if you buy Mapping the Tibetan World at the link above.) The summit of Mount Kailash itself is 22,027ft (6714m), but it has never been climbed, due to its sacred status.

Some Tibetans will make the whole 32 mile (52 km) circuit in a single long day (like 14 hours), but it is common for visitors to take three days, with this basic itinerary:

Day 1: Darchen – Drirapuk Gompa

Day 2: Drirapuk Gompa – Zutrulpuk Gompa (Also Dzutrulpuk)

Day 3: Zutrulpuk Gompa – Darchen

Many tourists and pilgrims will come and complete a single circuit, though some Tibetans make 3, 13 or even 108 circuits. Some perform full-body prostrations as they go around, which can take weeks for one circuit.

Day two will be the hardest day, as you will have to cross the Dolma la pass, at 18,471ft (5630m). This pass is blocked by snow until April.

In general, the best time to visit will be May to October, but know that the peak of Kailash is frequently obscured by clouds between mid-June and mid-September, and that nights will be freezing, even in the height of summer.

Tibetan Buddhists and Hindus walk in a clockwise direction, while those of the Bon faith walk counter-clockwise.

Here’s a satellite image of the Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar area, including Darchen, Drirapuk and Zutrulpuk:

Are You Ready to Make your Own Pilgrimage?

Since no independent travel is allowed to Tibet and you must work with a travel agency, you want to be sure to choose a Tibetan-owned agency, which hires Tibetan guides only. The simplest way to do this is ask us to connect you to a reliable Tibetan-owned travel agent to plan a life-changing trip for you that also supports the local Tibetan economy and culture.

Free: Tibet Travel Planning Guide

Sign up to get instant access to our detailed Tibet Travel Planning Guide that shows you exactly how to:

Get your visa and Tibet permits

Avoid altitude sickness

Choose a reliable, Tibetan-owned agent

And much more…so you can feel peace of mind about your trip, and have a great, safe journey!

Name*

Email*

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Along with instant access to your free, comprehensive online guide for planning your Tibet travel, you will also get our weekly All Things Tibet newsletter, with tips, tools and strategies for simple, safe and meaningful Tibet travel.

Hi Jonathan. Are you asking if you can take longer to do it? If so, yes, though the kora is at extreme high altitude, so it would be very, very hard on a non-Tibetan body to be at that altitude for long. Our best to you.

Not unless you are in FBULOUSLY GREAT shape. I did it when I was 57, we went as a group of 25 people and we were fully cared for by Sherpas on a 1 to 1 basis. It is an EXTREMELY difficult undertaking. I ran 7 marathons, was in great shape and I almost didn’t make it. You may die there (as many have) so write your will and be ready to be cremated there (which is not such a bad thing, if you are a Hindu!).

It really depends on your personal susceptibility to altitude sickness. Actually, physical fitness is not a risk factor of whether you will get altitude sickness. You need to be moderately fit, as well, as you must trek for 3 days and cross the Dolma La pass. We believe there is an age limit imposed by the Chinese government, particularly on Indian travelers. Best to talk to your doctor, and to look carefully at altitude sickness prevention. (See our information here: https://www.yowangdu.com/tibet-travel/altitude-sickness-prevention.html) Our best to you.

Hello Yowangdu,
Is there anything we can do to stop the Chinese government from developing the site? It would be a tragedy. I don’t know what the current situation is. I will check out the link on your website.
Would a woman alone be safe to walk the pilgrimage?
Or is it best to go with other people?
Many thanks.
And thank you for all the information here.
Zelly

Hi Zelly, Stopping the development is of course a huge challenge. Please do see the link. You must be with a guide to walk the pilgrimage which we feel would be quite safe, though other people might think it best to go with a group. All the very best to you!

In the warmer months when there’s no snow on the ground, locals rent horses for the kora. But only if there’s no snow. Horses can easily break their legs on snow, that’s why. Also you can hire sherpas to carry your bags, if you can walk but not with added weight. We hired a car for the kora around lake Manasorovar, it was great.

i thought Darpoche and Darchen is same place but the map shows differently. Can you please tell me how far is Darpoche from Darchen and how many hour/min will it take to get to Darpoche from Darchen by walk???

Hi Ola,
We got an answer for you from one of our Tibetan-owned agents. They said:

“Darchen and Darboche is different places, Darchen is the little town located right in front of the Mt.Kailash, it is the town where people stay to prepare for the yaks and porters.

Darboche is little open area south of Darchen, where the big prayer flag pole located and during the Saga Dawa this area is the main place where most of the ritual ceremony hold and renew the flag pole once in a year.

From Darchen it is about 4km south to Darboche and by walk it may takes around 2hrs in the clockwise”

“Day two will be the hardest day, as you will have to cross the Dolma la pass, at 18,471ft (5630m). This pass is blocked by snow until April.

In general, the best time to visit will be May to October, but know that the peak of Kailash is frequently obscured by clouds between mid-June and mid-September, and that nights will be freezing, even in the height of summer.”

Hi,yowangdu, you have given an expert comment about kailas parikrama.There are so many problems which we cannot take care. We should accept the reality as it is. Be bold and go. I had visited manasa sarovar and Kailas in June 2013. It was a memorable experience. One could see GOD every where . As I had visited almost religious places in India but Kailas is one place which cannot be compared. Now I have made my mind not to visit any holy places.
Lingaraju D S
Bangalore.

In the late 90’s there was a summer trek led by an Indian army General from Delhi, retired…a yatra for a group of Indian pilgrims…on foot, 16 days each way over the Himalayas and only 2 days there at Kailash….Otherwise it was not possible to go alone on foot…it is a military zone you are not allowed to cross….I don’t know if that trek is still happening today

I am arriving in Kathmandu on the 29th of August to make this pilgrimage to Mt Kailash. I am not sure how prepared I am, after reading about altitude sickness and tiredness. I still have three weeks to do something. I do not do yoga but at sea level I can walk for a few miles without getting tired. I have my faith. Please advise me, what I should do from now till then.

Hi Prasanna,
We are not experts about this, but you need to see your doctor to ask his or her advice about this. In general you need to be in the best possible physical shape when you arrive, and also, very importantly, you need to rest at least a few days to acclimatize in Tibet before starting strenuous activity. The Mt. Kailash kora is very high and strenuous. At least you should walk as much as possible now. But please do not consider this medical advice. You need to consult a doctor. All the very best to you and may you have a great pilgrimage.

hi there,
I am from Malaysia and I am amazed by the stories and pictures of pilgrims making the sacred trip to this holy place. It will be a dream come true for me if I could lay my footsteps at this awesome place and would like to ask how can I go about planning from now on to get there next year.

We hope that you can fulfill this dream and that you are able to do it soon before the pilgrimage of Mount Kailash changes too much. The best thing to do for your trip is to contact a few of the travel agencies based in Lhasa on this page: https://www.yowangdu.com/tibet-travel/tibetan-travel-agents.html, and ask each of them to let you know what they can offer you. Then you can compare and find the best way to go :-) Best of luck!

Hi Ollfine,
Check out our post on the weather in Tibet: https://www.yowangdu.com/tibet-travel/tibet-weather.html. We don’t have anything right now on what to bring or how to prepare, so suggest you try the blog called The Land of Snows. We think Losang over there has the info you need. We’ll put this topic on our list to write posts on in the future. All the best to you on your trip. Let us know how your trip goes!

I am firm on my traveling to mt Kailash lhasa. However, I am travelling alone from Singapore. I have checked with numerous Tibet agencies and the chances are very slim for my permits approval and single traveler.

How can I make it materialized? Is there an agency has a record of successfully case for single traveler. My travel plan is departure after 22Apr and before May. Duration is flexible. This is a spiritual calling trip that I need to fulfill. How would you help and advise on the possibility.

I sincerely appreciate and express my gratitude to you. Thank you very much.

Hi,
I am planning to make a kailash tour in May 2013,as I will be in dharamsala is there a tour directly to tibet from dharamsala (by road) at this moment it is only me planning for the tour. What will be the cost as I am
not an Indian possport holder.Kindly advise
Thank You
Sara

Thanks for writing, Sara. Sorry, we do not know about tours directly from Dharamsala to Tibet. From India, you must travel to Tibet via Nepal, either a flight to Lhasa from Kathmandu, and then by road to Mount Kailash, or by road via Dram on the “Friendship Highway” between Nepal and Tibet.

For Indian citizens, there may be another option. We don’t know for sure if this is still active, but there is this account of a government-sponsored yatra from India overland by trekking to Kailash: http://traveller.outlookindia.com/destination.aspx?id=196 It might be a good idea to contact the Tibetan agencies we recommend in the post and see if they have Indian agencies they work with who could help you.

Hi Lorenza,
We hope you can achieve your dream. We don’t know directly about routes from India, but if you contact the travel agencies in Tibet listed on the page, we think they can help you figure out a path. They may know agents in India that they work with. Let us know what you find out. Best of luck! [Updated 10.20.12: please see our response to the comment above for more information.]

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Primary Sidebar

Search this website

Free: Tibet Travel Planning Guide

The Tibet Travel Planning Guide shows you exactly how to:

Get your Tibet permits Stay healthy at high altitude Choose a reliable travel agent Travel ethically. Pack like a pro And much more…so you can feel peace of mind about your trip, and have a great, safe journey!

Get access to your free guide and to our weekly All Things Tibet newsletter with tips, tools and strategies for simple, safe and meaningful Tibet travel.